The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-12-21
CROOKED EMPLOYEES
OF TuE p1TrsBunan q LAKE ERIE
Railroad-Forty Onici,ls and Clerks Of tho
Passenger Department at Pittsburrh
Suspended Pending an Invsstiga.
l uon-.SystsmAtio Robbery.

PlrrsRuRau, Pa, Dec. 20.-John Henry
travelling passenger agent OF the Pitts
bursh & Lake Erie Railroad, and mum
Der Of other officials and clerks In tn,
passenger department and ticket Office
yesterday received carefully worded mott
dcation, signed by President John Newell
and General Superintendent Holbrook
signifylng that their presence would no
be required at their respective desks for
lew days, as tho books Of the department
were being audited to got ready for tbl
now system Of handling tickets about t.
bs adopted by the management. Thie
Is tho beginning Of series Of develop
ments in the passenger department OF the
Plttsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad, which
promise to assume the proportions OF tht
recent startling disclosures In the freiphl
department OF the Panhandle.
=. For q month tho high officials Of the
road have suspected that something wal
very loose, or something positively crook
ed has existed In the ticket sales and re-
ceipts OF the road, and within few weeks
they have obtained proof that they were
being systematically robbed, but where
BY whom, or to what extent, can only BIZ
told after careful investigation OF the
books and accounts Of the whole depart.
ment. 1t is thought that a1EN
covNTERYglT TICKETS
are in existence, and from the system o.
ticket accounts kept by the company, II
would hardlybepossible without collusion
for fraud 10 be perpetrated. In m inter
view. the General Superintendent said
"No person ia accused OF defrauding the
road. There has been come very careleBs
work done somewhere, aud this we pro
poss to put right. II anything crooked
exists 1t will be found and investigated.
To do this, We thought best to give the
auditor and his clerks full chance, and
have merely laid OF the men for the time
being. There are some very peculiar
tickets used on the road, and I propose te
find out whether they come from our own
clerks, the ticket brokers, or othel
sourCes." .a... -.r
The developments in the investigation.
are increasing in interest. All the off
cials in the Passenger Agents department
Including the Chief, have been temporG
rily relieved, and their desks are occupied
by auditors. This afternoon General Pas
sepger Agent A. D. Smith was included
among those temporarily
RELIEVED FROM DUTY.
The suspension Of MIR. Smith caused
considerable surprise among both the en-
ploJes and officials OF the road, but is no
looked upon as serious matter. and it il
stated that the only reason he was Gus
pended was so that the auditors could
have full charge Of everything in hiI
Office. 1t is stated that other employees
will be suspended within the next twenty
| four hours and that the man who is impli
Gated more than any other is still at work
The number OF suspensions up 10 O'Clock
this afternoon was forty, which includes
all the employees in the paesenger, audit
ing and ticket departments. What f!sI
excited the suspicion Of the officials were
some queer transactions with some theat
rical companies. II is alleged that ratet
were made with the companies and thai
the men making the contract received q
rebate.
General Passenger Agent Smith, wher
seen this evening, denied that he hat
been suspended. He was still on duty al
the Compsny's general Office on Fourth
avenue. He said the offices wers vacated
In order to givs the auditors an opportu
nifty TO work without interference. Gen
eral Superintendent Holbrook says mont
of the. employees hsve been accused O.
crookedness, but he has some outaide in
formation that juatiGes a thorough cxami
nation,of the various departments. Tht
investigation will last several days.